


We Were Just Kids

by testing_for_gravity



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Jedi Training (Star Wars), Jedi Younglings (Star Wars), Jedi as Found Family (Star Wars), Katooni Needs a Hug, Lightsabers (Star Wars), Our favorite younglings reunite, Parental Hondo Ohnaka, Pirate Katooni, Post-Order 66 (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Rebellion Era (Star Wars), The Force, Younglings grown up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28847268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/testing_for_gravity/pseuds/testing_for_gravity
Summary: More than a decade has passed since her life was destroyed. So many years separate Katooni then from Katooni now that the Tholothian pirate is often convinced she hallucinated her time as a Jedi completely. The Force is a phantom to her, and certainly not her friend. She hunts for treasure, swindles credits, and keeps her head down around the Imperials.But a supply run gone wrong lands Katooni face to face with a group of ghosts from her past, and suddenly the young pirate is confronted with a choice. Keep running from the Empire, or finally draw her weapon.
Relationships: Byph & Ganodi & Gungi & Katooni & Petro & Zatt (Star Wars), Katooni & Hondo Ohnaka, Katooni/Petro (Star Wars)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 31





	1. Prologue: Talk of The Future

**Prologue: Talk of the Future**

_A bond forged in trust is the strongest of its kind._

For once, it was a slow day at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. With the increasing number of battles currently being waged and, inversely, the dwindling amount of Jedi present, the place looked like a ghost town. It was just another reminder of her own departure, a moment looming in the future without a set date but steadily pressing in as the war moved outward. Katooni dreaded that thought, one that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in her mind. It was buried so deep, yet always resurfaced when she had an ounce of stillness. Today, armed with the first free time she had been given in months, her dread seeped into her feet, making even her steps feel heavy.

“I can’t believe Master Yoda gave us the rest of the afternoon off,” Ganodi was saying. She walked beside Katooni, the two girls taking the familiar path from their dormitory to the courtyard on the east side of the building. Katooni could hardly believe it either, but she wasn’t one to argue with the order of a Jedi master. Especially one that afforded her with a much needed break and social interaction.

Training for the younglings was becoming more difficult. As Katooni and her class moved closer towards the date of their Initiate Trials, everyday proved to be more tiresome than the last. Katooni was often nursing bruises and sore muscles while she studied Jedi history late into the evenings. She and Ganodi had been quizzing each other non stop, much to the irritation of their roommates. By the time she finally fell asleep, she was being shaken awake for morning lessons. As for her friends, well... Katooni hardly saw them. Her social life seemed to begin and end with the back of Petro’s head lately, which she was stuck staring at during most of her lessons. If Ganodi didn’t, quite literally, live with her, Katooni was sure she would never see the girl.

“It’s about time we have a break,” she said to Ganodi, nodding to a Jedi in passing. “I’m starting to dream in different languages.”

Ganodi snorted. “That’s your own fault. You should have taken flight lessons, like me.”

The Rodian was probably right, but Katooni had always been more interested in exploring different forms of communication than piloting ships. Although, after weeks of studying, she was beginning to regret that interest.

The pair finally made it outside and Katooni’s spirits lifted the instant she felt the warm sun on her skin. Often chained to her desk, the young Tholothian had a tendency to forget her body needed fresh air. She turned her face into the wind, letting the breeze rustle her robes, and spotted the rest of her friends as she did so. It was so rare to see them all together, she almost had to blink just to make sure they wouldn’t disappear. But Zatt, Petro, Gungi, and Byph were as real as ever and seemed to be making the most of their free afternoon by... sparring?

Petro had his lightsaber up, blue light washing across his face. From a distance, Katooni could already tell his opponent was less enthusiastic. Zatt stood opposite of Petro, his own green lightsaber ignited. It was clear from the frown on his face that Zatt would rather be doing anything other than sparring with Petro, but Katooni suspected the other boy hadn’t given him much of a choice.

“Only _you_ would train during your free time,” Katooni called as she and Ganodi reached the group.

Petro turned to face her, probably ready with a smart remark, but Zatt saw his opening and took it. The Nautolan thrust his right hand forward, knocking Petro off balance with the Force and sending him stumbling to the ground. The other younglings snickered, all looking down at Petro. Zatt put his lightsaber away, moving to quickly offer Petro his hand and pull him to his feet.

“No fair,” Petro whined, strapping his own lightsaber to his belt. “I wasn’t ready.”

Zatt shrugged. “Hey, I didn’t want to spar anyway. Katooni’s right, we have the day off. Can’t you just give it a rest?”

“Jedi padawans don’t get days off from the war.”

Zatt rolled his eyes. “Find another partner, then.”

Katooni knew that was the end of it. Petro and Zatt annoyed each other to no end, but all the other younglings knew they were inseparable. If Petro couldn’t drag Zatt into something, he usually wouldn’t do it. Petro proved her right a moment later when he sat down in the grass, resigning himself to relaxing. Katooni and Ganodi dropped down beside him, joining the rest of their friends on the ground. She fell onto her back, eyes on the clouds. Katooni could see the lines of traffic moving slowly across the Coruscant sky and was, for once, glad to be on the ground.

“Do you think that’s true?” she asked. “Padawans don’t get days off?”

Zatt’s voice came from behind her. “Probably. With the way this war is moving, I doubt anyone gets a break.”

“Don’t know why we’re in such a rush then,” Ganodi said. Katooni had to agree. She had wanted to become a padawan learner for years but, as the time crept closer, the youngling was beginning to worry. She had seen the war first hand and Katooni wasn’t confident she would be able to keep up. Padawans on the front lines were responsible for more lives than their own, a weight Katooni wasn’t ready to carry.

Petro sat up, his face coming into view. “Oh come on, don’t tell me you haven’t been thinking about who your master could be. I _know_ all of you are itching to become padawans.”

“I’m ready,” Gungi said in Wookiee, sitting up beside Petro. “I want to get out of this temple.”

“See, Gungi gets it,” Petro said. _“I_ want to be the padawan of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and fight alongside him against the evil General Grievous!”

That got Katooni to sit up. She turned to look at Petro, shaking her head at him. Katooni had already faced Grievous once, and she didn’t care to relive the experience. No, her future held something different, she was sure of it. It wasn’t shocking to hear those words from Petro, though. Her friend always seemed to crave a fight, something Katooni had never understood. It had been months, but Petro hadn’t shut up about their encounter with the Commander of the Separatist Droid Army. His retelling of their gathering had gotten so outlandish, other younglings were beginning to doubt the whole thing happened all together.

Zatt laughed. “Oh, I would _l_ _ove_ to see you as Master Kenobi’s padawan. You’d last, like, five minutes.”

Petro shoved Zatt and the two went rolling, each attempting to pin the other to the ground. While the two boys tussled, the conversation about the future continued.

“I don’t care who my master is,” Ganodi said, eyes still on the sky. “As long as I can get up in the air.” For as long as Katooni had known her, Ganodi had always vowed she would be a pilot. She preferred flying to saber training, something that had gotten her in trouble with Master Yoda more than a few times.

Byph fiddled with the lightsaber strapped to his belt. “Don’t you guys ever worry about things changing?” he asked.

Change. That was a concept Katooni had been grappling with recently. As much as she wished to share Petro’s excitement for the future, there were just too many unknowns. She liked her life as it was right now: surrounded by her friends in the Jedi Temple on a beautiful afternoon. Becoming padawans was the natural next step, but such a change would send the six younglings to opposite ends of the growing war. There was no telling how many moments she would have like this anymore. But that line of thinking often led to a spiral, so Katooni tried to push the thought away before it could swallow her whole and steal this perfect day away from her, too.

Petro clearly didn’t share her concerns. Having pinned Zatt down, he returned to the group. “Things always change, Byph,” he said. “But these are good changes! Come on, who do you want your master to be?”

Byph hesitated for a moment, considering. Then he spoke in his usual Ithorese. “I’ve always liked Master Secura.”

Petro clapped him on the shoulder. “Just picture it,” he said, spreading his other hand out in front of him. His voice changed pitch, as if he suddenly became a podracing announcer. “Byph is fighting with Master Secura alongside me and Master Kenobi. Ganodi is piloting the ship, ready to pick us up for a speedy escape. We’re fighting well but the droid army is closing in. Suddenly, reinforcements arrive! It’s Master Fisto and his padawan, Gungi!”

Gungi gave a soft roar of appreciation, nodding his head for Petro to continue.

“We take out every droid and complete our mission: capturing General Grievous! Once back aboard the ship, Grievous is subdued by Zatt, the tech wiz! Zatt takes Grievous apart piece by piece, turning his droid parts into scraps.”

Zatt rolled his eyes as the other younglings laughed, but he was smiling.

Petro continued his story. “And then, the amazing Katooni-” but he stopped, suddenly turning to look at her. “Wait. Katooni, what does _your_ future look like?”

Hearing Petro say aloud the question she had asked herself countless times was unsettling. She tried to imagine herself in a year, then five years, then ten years down the line, but it was impossible. For Katooni, she couldn’t see an end to the war in sight. She wished they could all have a normal padawan experience, but normal no longer existed. These days it was do or die and Katooni had the eerie feeling, as she looked at the faces of her five closest friends, that not all of them would survive.

But she wanted them too. And maybe they all could in Petro’s idea of the future.

“And then,” she said, picking up the story. “I meet you all here at the temple with Master Plo. We deliver exciting news: with your capture of Grievous _and_ our capture of Dooku, the war has come to an end. The Masters take Grievous, well... what’s left of him,” she said, looking pointedly at Zatt. “To prison. And the six of us come to this very spot to celebrate and swap stories.”

Her friends clapped. Petro grinned at her. “We’re all remembered as the padawans that ended the Clone Wars,” he said.

Silence settled as the end of the story hung in the air, and Katooni knew they were all returning to reality. Byph’s worried expression was back, and even Ganodi looked restless, pulling at blades of grass. Katooni knew, deep down, that worrying was pointless. Time would continue as it was determined to do. She just had to hope the six of them would be allowed to continue with it.

“Hey,” she said, desperate to hold on to the optimism that was fading fast. “Let’s do it.”

“Do what?” Gungi asked.

Katooni smiled slightly. “Come back here,” she said. “When the war ends, we’ll all come back to this spot to celebrate. Deal?”

She knew the unspoken would not go unnoticed. _There was a good chance they wouldn’t all be sitting here, when the time came._ But talks of the future are often exempt from the crushing weight of reality, especially those shared between children in war. And fantasizing about a life for all of them safe from this uncertainty was healthier for the mind than the alternative.

They all nodded. “I’m in,” Petro said. “And I bet I’ll beat you all here.”

With something as normal as a Petro challenge to cling to, the group returned to its usual dynamic, the energy from earlier resuming as if nothing had happened. Byph and Gungi reverted back to their argument about the most effective lightsaber grip, and Ganodi turned her attention back to the sky. But as Zatt punched Petro in the shoulder once again, Katooni caught the human boy’s gaze. He held it for a second, eyes softening. In an instant, Katooni knew even Petro shared her worries. But he had hope. Hope in the future. Hope in the Jedi. Hope that the war would end. 

Maybe hope could be enough for Katooni as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A snapshot of their lives, pre Order 66.
> 
> They were just kids.


	2. The Pirate Princess

_15 Years and a Rogue Crew Later_

Katooni was about to wind up dead, and she wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

She did wish it wasn’t at the hands of her own crew member, but that was the least shocking part of this whole day. As she stood, caught in the middle of a blaster fight, she again questioned the life choices that had led her to this very moment. If she could change any of them she probably would, starting with her agreement to lead this mission.

“Reedo!” Katooni yelled into her comm. “What in the galaxy are you doing?”

“I’m _trying_ to take this cannon and get it off our backs. Give me a minute!”

Katooni spun around, hitting two stormtroopers square in the chest as she did so. She could see the red headed human sprinting away from her, narrowly avoiding blaster fire. “That wasn’t my order,” she said. “I told you to secure the entry ramp of the ship!”

Reedo laughed over the comm. “The ship isn’t going anywhere with this cannon still firing. So, we decided to take it out.”

“Who’s _we?_ ”

Reedo didn’t answer, but Katooni didn’t need him to. One quick sweep around the hanger told her all she needed to know. Her _entire crew_ was disobeying her orders. This wasn’t the first time, but even Katooni didn’t think they could be stupid enough to try something like this with dozens of stormtroopers around. It was one thing to screw with her flight course or take a dirty hit during a sparring session. This was _suicide_. Or a masterful plot to get Katooni murdered. And there was only one person who would have the guts to organize this behind her back.

“That _idiot_ ,” she growled, diving behind a stack of crates to give herself cover. Katooni gripped her comm, yelling back into it. “Larke, we’re all going to be shot if you don’t cut it out and follow the plan!”

“Pipe down, Princess,” Larke’s smug voice rang. Katooni wanted nothing more than to smack the smirk off his face she knew was growing. “A few more minutes and we’ll have a clear takeoff.”

He didn’t see it, of course. None of the other pirates ever did.

The ship they had been tasked with securing, while small, could take a hit. Had the crew followed Katooni’s plan, they would all be in the air by now. Instead, she was trapped in a crossfire, and nobody had her back.

Despite everything Katooni had faced in the last decade, Larke Lockmin might just be the bane of her existence. The Weequay, somewhere in his late thirties, seemed to view Katooni as nothing more than an incompetent Loth rat. It didn’t matter how many missions she successfully completed, or how many people she was able to drop before they even moved for their weapon. He managed to find some explanation for her skills and turn the few other pirates against her. The one stuck between his teeth these days was that Hondo only put her in charge because she was a teacher’s pet. A suck up. It took every ounce of patience running through Katooni’s veins to restrain herself from blowing Larke’s head off whenever he was within earshot.

“If we get out of this,” she said to herself. “I’m going to kill him.”

The key word being _if_. Right now, Katooni needed to get to the ship. She lifted her head slightly, eyeing the craft in the middle of the hanger. The stormtroopers had divided, some remaining with the ship and others heading for the pirates trying to take the cannon. That worked to Katooni’s advantage.

There were two stormtroopers stationed at the entrance, blasters raised. The fact that she wasn’t already knocked out told Katooni they couldn’t see her from her hiding position. Acting quickly, she lifted her own blaster and poked it around the corner. As soon as the stormtrooper closest to her was in range, Katooni took her shot. The thud of deadweight was confirmation enough. Katooni jumped over the crate, revealing herself to the other trooper. She dodged the shot he fired, closing the gap between them in just a few steps. The trooper aimed again but Katooni was too fast. She shoved the blaster away from her, the shot sinking into the ground. Off balanced, the stormtrooper stepped backwards. Katooni swept his leg out from under him, sending her opponent crashing to the floor. Before his finger could find the trigger, Katooni stunned him in the chest.

Stormtroopers were a joke, Katooni had decided. The Empire surely had numbers, but a few lone soldiers never stood a chance against the pirate. They were far from the skill level of those that once wore an outdated version of their armor. Perhaps that was for the best. The galaxy didn’t need another batch of superhuman soldiers. The last round surely hadn’t used their talents for good.

A shout from across the landing platform shook Katooni from her memories. There was a time and place to revisit old nightmares, and this was not it. She flew up the ramp, launching herself into the cockpit and whirring the engine to life. There wasn’t time for her to check the cargo, so Katooni was putting her trust in their contact, hoping the intel they were given was right. If she returned to Hondo without her crew _and_ the bounty they came for, she might as well have stayed caught in the blaster fire.

As the ship began to rise, Katooni swept her eyes across the landing platform. She spotted Reedo and Larke still trying to secure the cannon. Their luck was running out as troopers pressed in, cutting them off from the rest of the hanger. The stormtroopers should be thanked for their poor aim, for it was the only reason the two foolish pirates were still alive. Katooni had half a mind to leave them there, stranded with the remains of their plan and pride. There was no doubt they would do the same to her. Had they followed her orders, she would have been last to board the ship and, in hindsight, the chances she would be the one stuck right now were pretty high. But they were also outnumbered, and stormtroopers tended to hit their targets... eventually. If Katooni took off now, Reedo and Larke would be dead on her account.

“Blast,” she muttered, then grappled for her comm. “Everyone get to the edge of the landing platform, now!”

Larke grunted back. “We’ve almost... got it.”

Katooni pinched the bridge of her nose, wanting to kick herself for even giving them a second thought. “If you’re not at the edge in one minute, I’m leaving _without you!_ ”

Katooni yanked the controls, hitting a hard right to bring the ship around. As she flew past the cannon, she saw Larke’s pride crumple. He and Reedo ran towards the end of the platform, ducking to avoid getting blasted. It gave her a great amount of joy, watching them scramble. She wanted it to continue, but the pirates were running out of platform. Katooni lowered the ship slowly, then dropped the ramp.

“Jump!” she yelled over her shoulder. For once, the pair didn’t need to be told twice. Reedo and Larke landed in the ship, crushed under the weight of the rest of their crew. Katooni raised the ramp and punched it, speeding away from the hanger and leaving the bucketheads in the dust.

Once they were in hyperspace, Katooni let the ship go into autopilot and left to see her crew. Larke stood with his arms crossed, a rather smug look on his face for someone who just needed saving. “See,” he said. “It was the perfect distraction for you. All according to plan.”

His ill attempt at defense pushed the remains of Katooni’s patience over the edge. In one swift motion, she punched Larke in the gut and shoved him to the floor, glaring down at him. “Pull that again,” she growled. “And I’ll leave you behind to _rot_ in an Imperial prison.”

Larke clutched at his stomach. “You piece of _scum,_ ” he spat, pulling himself to his feet. “You think just because you have Hondo’s favor you can run this joint? I was here long before you showed up, and I’ll be here long after you’re dead, _Princess_.”

Katooni ignored him, giving the rest of her crew a sharp look before returning to the cockpit. Larke couldn’t deal with the little girl he once knew calling the shots. That hardly used to bother Katooni, as she had never considered Larke as anything more than a loner. But the further Katooni climbed the ranks, the less friends she seemed to possess. And in the past few years, it was clear to anyone the moment they entered the mess hall who the real loner was.

That was fine with Katooni. It was better for everyone involved if they kept their distance. But the young Tholothian once had respect for her fellow crewmates. Even Larke, in some past life. Though, after that stunt they just pulled, that admiration was long gone. Katooni tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, most times. She didn’t see her fellow pirates as bad people. In fact, they lived up to the pirate name quite well. But the disaster she had just survived left Katooni wondering if she did too.

Because a pirate would have been systems away with this ship by now if given the same opening she used to save her crew.

**. . .**

_Pirate Negotiations_

When they finally docked with the main ship, Katooni wasted no time getting aboard. Usually, after finishing a mission, she would help unload the cargo and store it away. But the murderous looks Larke kept sending convinced her that she needed to be the first to explain to Hondo what happened before she was thrown under the transport. Katooni would not let her position as lead be undermined for a second time that day.

After making sure Larke was occupied with an especially heavy armful of supplies, Katooni headed quickly for Hondo’s office. The walk was short, but she had worked herself back into her rage by the time the front door came into view. Katooni marched straight into the room, blowing right past the pirate stationed in the hallway that didn’t even question her. 

Probably because this was becoming a much more regular occurrence.

“Hondo, what the hell was that?” She demanded.

The old pirate’s chair spun around to face her. “Katooni!” he greeted, throwing his arms up in the air. “I trust your mission was a great success, yes?” Hondo reclined, throwing his feet onto the desk in front of him. His casualness, which was often endearing to watch when he faced an enemy, infuriated Katooni now that she was on the receiving end.

Hondo Ohnaka was an... interesting character, to say the least. The older Weequay seemed to exist as a walking contradiction. He could be both harsh and soft, unforgiving and tolerant, and so many other conflicting personalities all at the same time. The man always had business on the mind, but Katooni had seen the different sides of him firsthand. She held that she knew him better than anyone else on this ship, a thought she would never voice aloud. Hondo would only disagree, and bragging about the relationship she had with the head pirate would not help Katooni’s reputation.

She scoffed. “The only reason that ship is here is because of me. Your crew practically left me for dead-”

Hondo tutted, raising his hand. “I think you mean _your_ crew, my dear.”

“I am _not_ part of them,” Katooni said, crossing her arms. She tried her best to look intimidating as she glared down at Hondo, but she knew the old pirate was not deterred. “After that stunt they pulled, they’re lucky I didn’t leave them behind.”

“Well,” said Hondo, finally placing his feet back on the ground and leaning forward. “You managed to secure the bounty and return here all in one piece, so I see this as an absolute win.”

Katooni sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to start yelling. She shouldn’t be shocked by Hondo’s nonchalant reaction. It was no secret his crew members were unreliable on the job, but the head pirate seemed unconcerned with their lack of loyalty. Pirates could be easily replaced, Katooni had learned over the years, and it was less of a headache if they perished on the job. But even Hondo’s shoddy crew was beginning to dwindle in numbers. It was becoming clearer to the Tholothian that the Empire was pressing further into the Outer Rim and specifically on the lookout for renegades like pirates. The people that once walked these halls seemed to be losing their cool and disappearing, unable to justify facing down stormtroopers every other day just to eat.

Deciding pressing the crew issue wasn’t worth her time, Katooni switched tactics. “Please tell me you’ve got a solo mission for me.”

Hondo scratched the back of his neck. “Yes, well... about that-”

“Hondo! You _know_ I work better alone.”

“Well, even if I _did_ know that, which I don’t, we both know what happened the last time I let you go solo.”

Right. The last time.

Katooni had been tasked with picking up some fuel. It was simple enough, nothing as risky as some of her past solo missions. But her contact had double crossed her, and Katooni had found herself severely outnumbered. She was lucky that Hondo had come to her rescue. Had she been captured and made a prisoner in the Imperial system, there was no telling who might have discovered her true identity.

“Hondo, I’m one of your best pirates,” she tried to reason. 

Hondo shook his head. “Which is _exactly_ why I can’t afford you getting caught. You know too much.” There was another reason, of course. The same reason he had come to bust her out last time. But the truth was much too dangerous to be said aloud, so the unspoken hung in the air between them.

Katooni felt a flash of guilt because she knew he was right. Not about her knowing too much or that she might talk, but because of who she was. If the Empire ever found out Hondo Ohnaka had harbored someone with her abilities for a little over a decade, they would all be dead.

All because of her.

It was almost enough to make Katooni back down.

But there was no reason for anyone to recognize her, and Katooni had hidden all traces of her past deep within herself, locked in a vault that had no key. “Hondo, please. I’ll prove to you that I can handle going solo again. I just need a mission.”

Despite Hondo’s strong sense of self preservation, Katooni had found she could get the pirate to say yes to her if she pressed something enough. For such a business oriented man, Hondo never knew how to strike a better deal for himself when he was up against Katooni. He always caved.

The pirate sighed in defeat, looking down at the datapad in his hand. “I have a simple supply run you can do. It’s on Nevarro.”

“Nevarro? But nothing ever happens out there!”

“Precisely.”

Katooni resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She had been hoping for something with higher stakes, a mission to help her forget the trainwreck of earlier and earn her some bragging rights on this ship. The last thing she wanted was to become known as the supply runner. She’d become the laughing stock of the crew, a sure fire way to turn her into a real loner. But if this got Hondo to trust her again, Katooni wouldn’t have to worry about Larke and Reedo’s insolence any longer. Or anyone else’s comments behind her back.

“Fine. I’m in.”

Hondo clapped his hands, getting to his feet. “Wonderful! You can leave tomorrow. And if this goes horribly wrong-”

“I know, I know. No more solo missions.”

“Glad we’re on the same page!” Hondo said, placing his arm across Katooni’s shoulders and wheeling her towards the exit. “Now, get some rest, little one. You have a long flight ahead of you.”

Katooni mock saluted Hondo and left the office, unsure if this was really a win. For proving she could handle herself, she couldn’t have been given an easier mission. That did, however, increase her chances of humiliation should anything go wrong. _But nothing will_ , she told herself. If there was one thing Katooni prided herself on, it was her ability to complete missions quickly and efficiently. Other people just got in her way. _I work better alone,_ she had told Hondo. It was the same four words she had been telling herself for the past decade and, as far as Katooni was concerned, they were the truth. 

Katooni reached her own cabin, shutting the door behind her. If anyone stumbled into her quarters, they wouldn’t be able to identify the occupant from a line up of the few pirates on the ship. The room was empty to the eyes of any passersby, and many would probably assume it was uninhabited without a second look. Katooni preferred it that way. Without interesting decor, her crew members minded their own business and never crossed the threshold. Few possessions also made it easier for Katooni to leave. If there was nothing here for her, she could cut and run when necessary. It was a line of thinking that had served Katooni well for years, one that should be thanked for her survival. Her own philosophy was helpful now, as Katooni prepared to depart for Nevarro.

But a lack of possessions also meant a strong attachment to any single item one did decide to keep.

Katooni’s own such item, though she would never admit it, was hidden under a loose floorboard beneath her bed. It had lived there, undisturbed, for years, and Katooni intended to keep it that way. For her hidden possession was an incriminating one, such that, if found, all of Katooni’s past efforts to survive would die with its discovery. The irony of retaining this destructive item was not lost on the Tholothian, but she never could gather the will to dispose of it. She was convinced if she left it buried, its power over her would eventually die with her memories. Yet even now, as she attempted to get some sleep, the weapon called to her. It demanded to be noticed. But Katooni would not give her past the satisfaction of winning.

Her lightsaber had no control over her, and neither did the Force.

Not anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi loves, thank you so much for reading! Huge shoutout to those of you who left kudos and commented on my last chapter, I appreciate your feedback so much! This was a bit of a shorter chapter, but a nice look into the life of our favorite pirate. Expect a longer chapter in a week or so with more familiar faces. Let me know what you liked and what you’re hoping to see in future chapters. See you soon!


End file.
